We at Norton are very excited to
share the Beta release for Norton Internet Security and Norton Antivirus 2012
products with you. Below are descriptions of the new features and great
enhancements provided with this release.
Protection
2012 introduces several new technologies to combat emerging threats.
Fake AV is one of the most visible and wide-spread threats that Internet users face today. Fake AV pretends to be security software and tempts the user to pay for it. Even worse, it can install additional malware on the system and claim the system is clean. New for 2012, we’ve included...

As a Norton customer, you are always entitled to download the latest version of your Norton product for free during your service period. Existing customers are also entitled to receive free support at http://support.norton.com.
If you’re using Windows 7 or 8, you may have already reserved an upgrade to Windows 10 before its July 29th release. After doing so, Microsoft’s app compatibility checker may show that your Norton product is incompatible with Windows 10. Not to worry- you’re still protected with the best in-class security for your PC. There will be an update available for a Windows...

The headlines are all too familiar: “Retail Giant Reports Massive Data Breach,” “Russian Gang Amasses Billions of Web Credentials.” Despite the increase in threats, we are moving more and more of our lives on line: from sensitive health and financial data, to precious photos and daily shopping. To complicate matters, our digital lives don’t just reside on a desktop but on multiple devices and platforms. Too many of us remain vulnerable to advanced threats. If we want to free ourselves to take full advantage of our amazing digital, interconnected world, we need to secure ourselves.
With th...

February 13th is National Clean out Your Computer day, and there’s good reason behind it. When you “clean” your computer, you don’t just dust off the keyboard and wipe fingerprints from the screen. You also pay attention to the state of the hard drive, updating software and removing old programs.
​Why is cleaning up your computer important?
Clean software helps protect your data. Internet security software and regular program updates help ensure that viruses, malware, and remote “hackers” stay out of your system. When you maintain your files by backing them up, deleting unused programs,...

If you’ve been keeping up with Norton products, you probably already know that Norton Internet Security (NIS) 2012 included new capabilities that gave you the option to store your Identity Safe Vault (passwords, credit card numbers, and other data) in the Norton cloud and share it between all your computers with Norton Internet Security 2012. Up until now, however, your Vault could only be accessed from a computer with Norton Internet Security 2012 installed.
Today we’re launching identitysafe.norton.com, a web portal which allows you to access your Identity Safe Vault from any web browse...

Consumers often shun software with even modest price tags in favor of the next tempting giveaway. But stop and think for a second and it’s pretty obvious these free downloads can’t really cost nothing, or the skilled people who make them wouldn’t be able to earn a living. No, free rarely means free, and you should always be wary of downloading more than you expected.
Advertising
The acceptable way to monetise free software is to use advertising, and whether you’re okay with that will largely depend on how much you want that new app without paying for it. As the saying goes, “if you’re no...

Everyone here at Norton is extremely excited about this new release of the Norton security products! This is the first time we are launching all three products at once: Norton AntiVirus, Norton Internet Security, and Norton 360. In this two-part blog post, I plan on going through some of the new features and improvements we have made. The first part will cover some of the things we’ve done on the protection side, while the second part will cover the performance and experience side of things. Hopefully this will explain how some of these technologies will make your computing life safer and ...

When Steve Jobs died this week, I found out via my Twitter feed. I was working on my Mac and putting together a presentation discussing our plans to continue innovating on the Apple platforms - I had just dropped in a graphic of Apple's new iPhone 4S.
When I read the news, I gasped. I sat for a second and, almost by reflex, just typed "Steve Jobs is dead," sharing the news with my online community. Within seconds, my Twitter feed was an avalanche of disbelief, and for hours, people from around the world shared their grief, the vast majority of them sharing their words on Apple devices.
I...

By Alejandro Borgia, senior director, product management, Symantec Corporation
For customers looking for the best security technology for their needs, it’s critical to have access to reliable and meaningful information so they can make smart decisions to stay protected in today’s complex threat landscape. As an industry, we face a challenge in that testing security products is a highly technical and time-consuming process, and there are shortcomings in the approach of some tests that result in data that is misleading at best.
Last week, PC Magazine published an article titled “Microso...

A computer virus, much like a flu virus, is designed to spread from host to host and has the ability to replicate itself. Similarly, in the same way that viruses cannot reproduce without a host cell, computer viruses cannot reproduce and spread without programming such as a file or document.
In more technical terms, a computer virus is a type of malicious code or program written to alter the way a computer operates and that is designed to spread from one computer to another. A virus operates by inserting or attaching itself to a legitimate program or document that...

A tech support scam is a form of Internet fraud that is currently gaining momentum on the Internet. The scam implements social engineering and fear tactics in order to get the victim to take the bait. There are three main ways this scam is executed- via cold calls, pop-up messages on the computer and incorrect search engine results.

One of the great new features we’re adding to the Norton 2012 product line is the ability to manage your installed Norton products from one central website. Have you ever received a call from your remote family member that their Norton product is out of date or their Norton subscription needs a renewal? Before the management feature, you’d have to physically be present to address these issues. Now, once you have installed Norton Management on a device, you can handle these things (and more) from the Management website! The site gives an overview of all your managed machines and you can...

With plenty of free security software options out there, it’s easy to wonder why you would want to pay for online protection. But is free antivirus software truly free?
Internet connected devices are constantly within reach and as a result more aspects of our lives and information reside within our devices than ever before. Yet many people still see their online world and the physical world as separate from each other, not realizing that online information is as valuable to cyber criminals as a wallet is to a mugger. It’s not until a data breach makes headlines t...

Passwords are to a hacker like keys to a thief. Although keys and passwords by themselves don’t have much value, the personal information and property that they can expose does. Think of your passwords as your digital keys. They allow access to your personal life, including your networks of friends and colleagues, contacts, photos, videos, emails, and maybe even banking and payment details, among other gems of information.
Weak passwords can be easily guessed, and taking poor security measures could provide information instrumental for password hackers. However, ...

Why I Do It: A Support Agent’s Tale
Why I do it
I have always loved computers. I also worked in health care for ten years, and that gave me a wonderful perspective on helping people. I have been able to carry over that experience to my current position as a Norton Technical Support Agent and it provides me with the ability to offer my customers a positive experience in the middle of a stressful situation. It's always a great feeling when I finish a call, and someone who used to be really upset is now really happy.
Saving digital lives
I remember one custom...

Not all hackers are inherently bad. When used in mainstream media, the word, “hacker,” is usually used in relation to cyber criminals, but a hacker can actually be anyone, regardless of their intentions, who utilizes their knowledge of computer software and hardware to break down and bypass security measures on a computer, device or network. Hacking itself is not an illegal activity unless the hacker is compromising a system without the owner’s permission. Many companies and government agencies actually employ hackers to help them secure their systems.
Hackers ar...

According to the credit reporting firm Experian, the average Internet user has about 19 different online accounts, for which they only have seven different passwords. In addition, one in ten users never change their online passwords, and one in 20 uses the same passwords for all of their online accounts.
Those statistics definitely show that the password system is broken. When passwords were invented in the 60's, they were rather simplistic, as there was not a wide scale need for them. Today we have passwords for an exponential amount of web services. Couple that with the fact that we no...

A free Wi-Fi connection in a public space can seem like a lifesaver when you’re on the go. But if you decide to use public Wi-Fi, just be aware that you could be making yourself an easy target for hackers — and putting your information and more at risk.
Online Crime Takes Many Forms
The Norton Cybersecurity Insights Report announced that 594 million people around the world were victims of cybercrime in 2015, with 21% of Americans getting their email hacked and 12% having their financial data stolen after shopping online. With public Wi-Fi available everywhere, what seems like a conveni...

Internet of Things gadgets aren’t just for toys for techies. They are actually more accessible by cost and ease of use, and people are finding convenience in creating a “smart home” with connected things.
However, convenience does not come without risk. One of the key security concerns with smart homes is ensuring that devices are not vulnerable to hacking and cyber attack. Let’s take a look at how-to create a smart home while following cybersecurity best practices.
What Is a Smart Home?
While the term “Smart Home” has been used a lot these days, especially with the rapid emergence of ...

Online dating is as normal to life as is online shopping. Believe it or not, online dating has been around for 20 years, and as a result, cybercriminals are finding big money in people looking for love. However, these aren’t issues that should deter you from fishing in the sea of online dating.
In this guide, we will take you step-by-step through the entire online dating process. From finding the best dating site, protecting your digital privacy, all the way up to that first date, we’ve got you covered.
Step 1
Choosing the right site
The cyber-sea of love can be overwhelming to navigate...

Norton users* can breathe more easily knowing that they are backed by Norton by Symantec’s gold standard of security in light of a security advisory about a new zero-day bug affecting Microsoft Internet Explorer. Other vendors are using the name “Operation Clandestine Fox” to identify targeted attacks using this bug in the wild. Users of all versions of Internet Explorer are vulnerable, but, so far, this bug is not being used in widespread attacks.
Microsoft will be issuing a patch for supported operating systems, but Windows XP users will need to find another way to stay secure, as ...

In our 2013 products, many changes/enhancements were added to the Norton IdentitySafe Toolbar. They are summarized as:
Feature
New/Existing/Change
Remarks
Targeted Products
Changes with Local Vault Feature
New
Local Vault feature is removed for our new users of 2013 product, users migrating from 2012 or older versions will still have local vault
NIS, N360
Home Page(button on toolbar)
New
Clicking on this button will enable the users to access the online vault content in single view
NIS, N360
Scam Insight Protection
New
Scam Insight is a new feature wh...

In this four-part blog series, I have briefly reviewed some of the myths we’ve heard about Windows 8 security improvements and point out where deficiencies lie. We believe security should still very much be a concern for anyone running the new Windows 8 OS. Visit this earlier post to learn more about the series.
In today's post, I'll address Myth #4: SmartScreen will keep users out of trouble.
First introduced as a security add-on feature for Internet Explorer v8.0, the SmartScreen Filter (SSF) checks the sites a user visits and the files they download and compares them against lists of ...

Leading up to Microsoft’s launch of the new Windows 8 operating system, there has been a lot of media chatter about what the new operating system means for security. Specifically, folks want to know whether users will be more secure on this new platform. Let’s examine more closely a few of the claims we’re hearing.
In response to an increasingly sophisticated threat landscape, Windows 8, like its predecessors (Windows 7, Vista, XP, and on) raises the bar in terms of new defenses to help defend against increasingly more cunning and devious malware variants. But does this mean that systems ...

Now that the latest version of Norton Internet Security and Norton 360 are released, you may have noticed some improvements to the Norton Toolbar - the Share button and the Online Vault. Below is an explanation of the changes, and why we wanted them in the product.
Why Online Vaults?
The Online Vault is Convenient.
- It provides access to your most sensitive data from any iOS, Android, PC, or Mac device and from *any* device with a web browser.
- It automatically synchronizes data across devices.
The Online Vault is Secure.
- Norton uses 256bit AES encryption to encrypt the data. Thi...

Security researchers have discovered a new bug, called, Shellshock, that affects Linux and Unix platforms. If exploited, the bug could impact public facing web servers and Mac OSX users. Our experts let you know what you can do to keep your data safe.

Although, you might not know what they are or how they work, if you go online, it’s likely you’ve heard of cookies before. But given the negative publicity surrounding them, perhaps you have been led to believe they are dangerous. On the contrary, cookies by themselves are rather harmless and simple. However, if privacy issues concern you, there’s always the option to opt-out.
First, an introduction to cookies
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer or mobile device by websites you visit or certain emails you open. In essence a cookie notif...

It’s a very common scenario, a parent—grandparent, aunt, or uncle—buys the latest model smartphone or tablet and hands-down their previously used device to a grandchild, niece, or nephew. This is especially common during the Holidays with connected devices topping most youth’s wish lists.
And with companies like eBay, Verizon, and AT&T competing to buy your used devices, now there’s an additional incentive to hand-down your old device and upgrade this holiday season.
Protect your holiday hand-me-downs
To many consumers handing down or selling their device may seem like a har...

As consumers around the country get ready for another holiday shopping season, hackers are likely gearing up with Point-of-Sale (POS) malware kits. Over the past year many US retailers—big and small—fell victim to mega-breaches that compromised approximately 100 million payment cards, potentially affecting about one-third of US consumers. Some retailers have taken measures to secure their POS terminals, but until a complete transition to more secure payment technologies is made, many retailers are still vulnerable to POS attacks. Therefore, it is up to consumers t...

Norton is the leader in digital solutions and we have the best in class digital security solutions available on the market today that’s backed by the largest threat intelligence database in the world. Furthermore, you’re covered by Norton’s Virus Protection Promise. Should you run into any problems, Norton Security is supported by a team of passionate and empowered security experts that work around the clock to provide you with support whenever you need it most.
We understand that getting a virus on your system would be a technical nightmare. Navigating through spam emails, pop-ups...

What is Data Privacy Day?
Launched January 28th 2008 as an extension of Europe’s Data Protection Day celebration, Data Privacy Day (DpD) aims to empower and educate consumers and businesses about the importance of data privacy and the affect of their digital footprint.
DpD is a series of events online and offline intended to bring awareness of the importance of privacy and how to protect it.
Why is Privacy Important?
There are many reasons why maintaining your privacy online is important. Protecting your privacy helps impede the theft of financial information and identities. Howeve...

We’ve previously explained the different types of malware that are prevalent on the threat landscape, which begs the question: How does malware get onto my computer?
Bundled Free Software Programs
Free is never usually 100% free when it comes to software and apps- there is always some trade-off. Frequently, free software companies will partner with other companies and bundle additional software within the download. Mostly, these programs are bundled with toolbar add-ons, however, hidden within these add-ons can be spyware, ad libraries, and even browser hijackers. While this is not ma...

Guest post by Jeff Barto, Trust Strategist, Evangelist & Website Security Advocate for Symantec
In 1994, the first online purchase crossed the World Wide Web: a large pepperoni pizza with mushrooms and extra cheese from Pizza Hut. Over the next 20 years, e-commerce has exploded into a bustling economy, exceeding $1.2 trillion in sales in 2013.
This growth in online purchases rests upon a foundation of trust. People trust that the websites they use to track finances and make online purchases are secure and legitimate largely because of Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates- otherwi...

Beginning this month, we will begin automatically updating customers with a new PC client that provides the best usability, performance and protection that we offer to-date. We’re rolling these updates out to users over the next several months, however, you have an opportunity to get these features now.

Just like everyone else, we’re excited about Windows 10 this year. We particularly look forward to new security improvements that Microsoft brings to Windows with each new release. While this may sound like a strange position for a security company to take, the reason why we welcome these improvements is that every security improvement, no matter how big or small, is bad for hackers and criminals and good for consumers. Like the majority of customers in the market, we’re also customers of Microsoft Windows and we recognize that Microsoft Windows is an attractive target for criminals.

Even with all of the new features, Microsoft Windows’ “attack surface” continues to grow with each new release. Microsoft-developed security improvements and features can play an important role in helping to reduce the attack surface of each new Windows release.

Windows 10 will be available as a free upgrade for Windows 7, 8.1 customers starting July 29th. Following are some tips to help you prepare.
1. Reserve your copy of Windows 10, if you haven’t already.
Click the Windows 10 App icon in the system tray of your current device. If you don’t have the Windows 10 App icon, run a Windows update. This should correct the problem on most Windows 7 and 8.1 systems.
2. Check your system compatibility.
Windows should notify you of any compatibility problems with your system or software prior to upgrading. However, you can manually check hardware spec...

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and we love participating, as it is a way to help further educate everyone about staying safe on the Internet. To kick off the first week, we’re going to give you a crash course in basic cyber security 101. A lot of these topics will come up over the next month, so let’s make sure everyone knows what they mean.
1. Secure Passwords:
The keys to our digital kingdom, passwords should be closely protected. A lot of the times, that’s all a cybercriminal needs to gain access to your account. The following articles not only teach you about HOW...

Every spring the NCAA college basketball tournament — known as March Madness — turns workplaces into play spaces. Betting on brackets and watching games seem more suited to sports bars, but since many of the games are played during the workday, it’s not unusual for otherwise dedicated employees to schedule in some pleasure along with business. However, March Madness can cost workers and small business owners much more than productivity as cybercriminals target unsuspecting fans with malware.

The cybersecurity landscape is constantly evolving with new threats and never-before-seen vulnerabilities being discovered by security experts and, just as likely, exploited by cybercriminals at a fast pace. Breaking news alerts of widespread data breaches or high-profile hacks serve as reminders of the need for security online, but the flood of information can also be overwhelming. Let this cut through the clutter - Here are 10 facts you need to know about today's cybersecurity landscape:
1: Cybercriminals are using more zero-day vulnerabilities than ever before.
A new zero-day vuln...

Vacation may be a time for rest and relaxation, but your mobile devices likely won’t be getting a break. Now that smartphones and tablets are part of our daily lives, we spend more time than ever staying connected, even while on vacation. Just think of all the selfies you’ll be taking and updates you’ll be posting to your social networks! But, while sharing your vacation moments will be a fun way to capture your R&R, your fun vacation could turn into a bad situation if you choose to use your mobile devices on free public Wi-Fi during your trip. Learn how to be aware of using your mobile devices on public Wi-Fi at key points on your vacation.

Wireless Internet access is one of the modern conveniences of our time. However, your home wireless router can also be an access point for hackers. If your Wi-Fi router isn’t secured properly, you could be letting anyone with a wireless-enabled device gain access to your home network. That means you’re opening up your emails, banking information, and maybe even details of your smart home’s daily schedule to criminals.
Basic Wireless Security
Every router should have a password to keep out the bad guys. Some routers come with default passwords, but you should change these during setup. C...

A form of phishing, smishing is when someone tries to trick you into giving them your private information via a text or SMS message. Smishing is becoming an emerging and growing threat in the world of online security. Read on to learn what smishing is and how you can protect yourself against it.
Put simply, smishing is any kind of phishing that involves a text message. Often times, this form of phishing involves a text message in an SMS or a phone number. Smishing is particularly scary because sometimes people tend to be more inclined to trust a text message than an email. Most people a...

The Internet threat landscape was booming last year for cybercriminals. We reported on 54 major events in 2016. And that’s not counting the little stuff. The threat landscape shifted slightly in the past year, and we have seen some new trends. However, some of the older ones are sticking around and still going strong.
New Threat Predictions for 2017
1. The Internet of Things
The First Major Attack on IoT Devices​
2016 was the breakout year for attacks on IoT devices. In October, the first massive cyber attack involving IoT devices, such as​ ​webcams and DVRs, occurred. The ​Mirai B...

980 data breaches occurred in 2016. That left an approximate 35,233,317 known records exposed. Over the years, data breaches have become more sophisticated, and cybercriminals target both large corporations and small businesses.
2016 saw a string of data breaches that left sensitive information of millions of people at the mercy of cybercriminals. In addition to financial consequences, these data breaches ruined customer trust and the reputation of the companies in question.
As we look back at 2016 here are some of the most impactful data breaches that shook the world.
117 Million Lin...

Our daily and digital lives overlap each other. Since our personal safety takes precedence over everything, it’s safe to say that our digital security is a close second.
The price of digital safety
It’s hard to put a price tag on digital safety. Take malware for example. These sneaky little codes find their way into your devices and transmit your personal information to computers far away that are operated by fraudsters. The end result could translate into anything from cybercriminals draining your bank account to holding all your information hostage by freezing your device and asking ...